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Gardaí seize head shop drugs worth €1m

HEAD shop drugs worth more than €1m have been seized by gardaí who also questioned a man in connection with the find.

In an intelligence-led operation, gardaí carried out a planned search of a house in Dromiskin in Co Louth on Saturday morning. A range of what gardaí called controlled substances associated with head shops were seized, worth an estimated €1m. A stun gun was also seized on the property.

Gardaí then carried out a follow-up search of a different house in Dromiskin where more drugs were seized.

A man in his 30s was arrested at the scene and was subsequently being questioned at Dundalk Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

He was released without charge yesterday morning. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

It is thought the drugs may have been destined for the black market for substances which a year ago were available in head shops.

It is understood a wide range of substances were seized in the raid, including products such as Bull’s Ash, Wild Opium, VIP capsules, super E and Pure Gold.

Gardaí confirmed that the raid had been sparked by information received on the movement of drugs.

It is not known if there is a cross-border element to the drugs haul.

It is understood more arrests could take place.

Just last month, the head of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and DrugAddiction (EMCCDA), Wolfgang Gotz, said other European countries will monitor the laws in Ireland and Poland which shut down head shops.

However, there was also a warning of an "undesirable transition" to an illegal market controlled by organised crime, thanks to the closure of shops selling drugs on the open market.

There was also a warning that the closure of head shops has led to an increase in cannabis production and distribution in some parts of the country.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, December 13, 2010